News
Underwater Classroom at NMA
First underwater classroom for National Marine Aquarium
Picture: Neil Hope/www.divingimages.co.uk
Plymouth students were treated to an unusual classroom lesson earlier today, as the National Marine Aquarium held its first ever underwater classroom session.
Inside the Aquarium’s Ocean Tank and circled by three large Sand Tiger Sharks - as well as traditional classroom furniture and apparatus - Caroline Johnson, education coordinator at the National Marine Aquarium gave the first underwater classroom lesson to a class of students from the Marine Academy Plymouth.
Designed to showcase the new £500,000 Just Add H2O learning facilities - which are due to open next Easter - the underwater classroom was witnessed by visitors to the Barbican attraction, as well as the Academy’s students.
The centre’s new aptly named education programme, will feature an Aqua Lab, science theatre, a TV studio and production suite, a marine resources centre and new seminar rooms.
Dr Dave Gibson, Managing Director at the National Marine Aquarium, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to be launching our new Just Add H20 learning facilities, and very proud to be the first aquarium to host an underwater classroom session.
“Today’s event offers a real flavour of what learning outside the classroom is all about, and how the new facilities at the Aquarium will provide an educational resource which is second to none in the country. The possibilities of what we can offer to support learning, both for students visiting and those who use our online resources are really exciting.
“Although we’re not suggesting that teachers submerge their usual classroom equipment and swim around with the sharks in the tank, it’s a great way of engaging with the students and really bringing to life all the facilities that we have here at the Aquarium!”
Inside the Aquarium’s Ocean Tank and circled by three large Sand Tiger Sharks - as well as traditional classroom furniture and apparatus - Caroline Johnson, education coordinator at the National Marine Aquarium gave the first underwater classroom lesson to a class of students from the Marine Academy Plymouth.
Designed to showcase the new £500,000 Just Add H2O learning facilities - which are due to open next Easter - the underwater classroom was witnessed by visitors to the Barbican attraction, as well as the Academy’s students.
The centre’s new aptly named education programme, will feature an Aqua Lab, science theatre, a TV studio and production suite, a marine resources centre and new seminar rooms.
Dr Dave Gibson, Managing Director at the National Marine Aquarium, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to be launching our new Just Add H20 learning facilities, and very proud to be the first aquarium to host an underwater classroom session.
“Today’s event offers a real flavour of what learning outside the classroom is all about, and how the new facilities at the Aquarium will provide an educational resource which is second to none in the country. The possibilities of what we can offer to support learning, both for students visiting and those who use our online resources are really exciting.
“Although we’re not suggesting that teachers submerge their usual classroom equipment and swim around with the sharks in the tank, it’s a great way of engaging with the students and really bringing to life all the facilities that we have here at the Aquarium!”